Serverless Design with AWS Lambda

6 Steps3h 49m34 Credits

In this Quest, you will learn how to write functions with the AWS Lambda Service that respond to events and integrate other AWS Services. You will create applications that write records to Amazon DynamoDB, send messages with Amazon SNS, and monitor events in Amazon CloudWatch and external services. You will even write a back-end function in Lambda for creating a voice-response app for Alexa and the Amazon Echo.

Objectives

The labs in this quest will teach you how to integrate services with AWS Lambda functions, and how to create real-world applications without requiring launching and maintaining servers.

In this lab, you will create a simple FAQ microservice. The microservice will return a JSON object containing a random question and answer pair using an API Gateway endpoint that invokes a Lambda function. Prerequisites: students should take the lab "Introduction to AWS Lambda" before taking this lab.

This is a two part lab. In part one of the lab, you will learn how to use a Lambda function with CloudWatch events to monitor the creation of an EC2 instance, using a Lambda function you create manually. In part two of the lab, you will create a Lambda function from a blueprint to alert you to a CloudWatch alarm, with notification through an Amazon SNS topic. Prerequisites: To successfully complete this lab, you should be familiar with basic CloudWatch and SNS concepts. Node.js and Python programming are required, although full solution code is provided. You should have at a minimum taken the “Introduction to AWS Lambda” lab at qwiklabs.com.

In this lab you will build a chat bot for Slack, using a Lambda blueprint. Chat bots have the ability to interact with teams and users, respond to commands, and post notifications, giving all conversation participants visibility into team activities. You will build a bot that posts CloudWatch alarms to your Slack channel. Prerequisites: To successfully complete this lab, you should be familiar with AWS Lambda and Amazon CloudWatch through taking the introductory labs. You will need to have or create an account with the online service Slack to complete this lab-- instructions are provided. Familiarity with Slack is helpful, though not required.

In this lab, you will create an example Alexa skill. You will then use a blueprint to build an AWS Lambda Function to execute the skill. You will use both the AWS Console and the Amazon Developer Portal in this lab. You will test your function in the Lambda console by sending it JSON requests, and you will test your example skill in the Amazon Developer Portal. You do not need an Alexa device for this lab. The Developer Portal provides testing tools that work in a browser. Prerequisites: To successfully complete this lab, you should be familiar with AWS Lambda through taking the introductory lab. Python and JSON programming are required, although full solution code is provided. You will need to have/create a no-cost, no-credit-card-required account in the Amazon Developer Portal. Familiarity with the Amazon Developer Portal and the Alexa Skills Kit is helpful, though not required. You do not need an Alexa device for this lab.